Permutation-lock



E. M. 0; DESCALLES.

PERMUTATION LOCK.

APPLICATION'FILED NOV. 14, I919.

Patented 00th 111, 1921.

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ene Ma his e 062; ve zefgazles EUGENE m e OG'IAVE nEsoAL ns, or rears, SOGIETE ANONYME ronn LEXPLOITATION nns BELGIUM.

FRANCE. assrenon T0 1). o. 0. Beavers DESCALLES, or LIEGE,

rnRMUTATIon-Looic.

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Application filed ZNovember 14. 1919. Serial No. 337,933.

ToaZZ whom-it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGIENE MAURICE Ooram DESCALLES, manufacturer, subject of the Republic of France, and resident'of Paris, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Permutation-Locks;

and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suchas will enable 'others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the sameyrefere'nce being had to the accompanying drawings and to letters or figures of reference marked therein, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to permutation locks, and more particularly to locks in which a set of wheels is manipulated from the outside of the lock case by means of an operating knob,these wheels being brought to different predetermined positions corresponding to the letters or digits of the combinatio'n? selected. The permutation wheels operate to turn a corresponding number of wheels which form a locking mechanism, the arrangement beingsuch that when all of the permutation wheels have beenbrought to their respective predetermined positions, the locking wheels will have been brought to unlocking position, thus enabling the opening of the lock.

In effecting the setting. or adjustment of the permutation wheels, the latter are initally turned in one direction by the operating knob, during the course of which movement they are successively connected together to 7 move in unison and are ultimately brought mechanisms,

into a predetermined fixed position which is the position from which they start during their subsequent manipulation to effect unlocking. This subsequent unlocking manip ulation is carried out by turning the knob first in oneldirection andthen in the other,

. and it results inthe stopping or disengagement ofeach wheel on reaching its selected position,s.o'.thatl by the time that the last wheel has completed its setting movement, the locking mechanism has been simultaneously unlocked. p

The invention resides in the particular construction and arrangement of parts'comprised in the permutation and locking and in the particular devices brought into registration associated with said mechanisms for effect- I ing the above-mentioned movements thereof,

all as hereinafter-fully explained.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a, perspective View of the improved lock, with the cover plate omitted and the sidewall of the casepartly broken away. g

Fig. 2 ing knob Figs. 3 and 4 are'obverse and reverse perspective views of the second permutation wheel.

Figs. 5 and 6 are similar viewsofthe third permutation wheel.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the under or reverse" side of the second wheel.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the lock is a perspective view of the operatcase with the permutation and looking for transmitting the movements of one of the wheels to another.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a removable plug or bushing which is fitted in an opening in the bottom of the casefand which is operated incidental to a change in the combination.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is represented a lock comprising a cylindrical case, indicated generally at 29, (Fig. 8), a suitable cover plate, illustration of which is omitted, and a pivotally-Inounted shackle 1. The shackle isprovided adj acent its free end with a notch 4 for engagement by a projectionor finger 2 on a locking lever 3 which is mounted for rocking movement on a pin 9,wl1e1eby the shackle is re-- tained in closed position; said lever being provided with two additional projections or fingers 7 and 38. The finger 7 is designed for coaction with the locking mechanism. here shown as comprising three superposed wheels or gears5 which are loosely mounted on a hollow pin 6 (Fig. 8) formed with a longitudinal slot. The gears 5 are each formed with a slot 8 which extends radially from its central opening; these slots being with the pin slot and its attached permutation wheel.

. resultant disengagement ot finger 2 from notch 4. The other projection or finger 38 on the locking lever is so arranged that when the shackle 1 is swung outward or opened, after the locking lever has been disengaged from the shackle, the pivoted end 39 of the latter will extend across or behind said finger and thus prevent the locking lever from being moved back into active position until the shackle has first been moved inward.

The locking mechanism comprising the three gears 5 is designed for coaction with the permutation mechanism which, according to the present invention, embodies three superposed gears 10, 11 and 12 loosely mounted for individual movement. on a pin or stud 13. These gears are utilized to drive the. locking gears 5 which are normally meshed therewith but can be unmeshed therefrom when it is desired to change the key word or number of the combination, for which purpose the'hollow carrier pin or stud 6 is mounted on plate 33 which is pivoted on the stud ,9 so that it may be swung toward or away from the permutation gears. In the construction illustrated, the stud 9 has coiled around it a torsion spring 34 (Fig. 1). one end-of which bears against a lug formed on the locking lever 3jwhile the other end engages a lug 86 formed on the carrier plate 33, so that the said spring tends not only to swing the carrier plate in a direction to mesh the looking gears with the permutation gears, but also to engage the locking finger 2 on the lever 3 with the shackle notch 4;. The disengaging mo'vement ofthe carrier plate is efiected from the outside of the case by means of a plug or sleeve 31 (Figs. 1, 8 and 10) which is rotatably fitted in an opening in the back of the case and is formed with a circun'iterential notch or recess 32 and with an outer notch 4.1., the latter being designed to receive the edge of a screw driver or coin for turning the plug. The notch 32 receives the adjacent edge of the carrier plate 33.

therein and is so shaped as to exert a cammmg pressure on said plate when the plug is turned 1n the proper directlon, thereby 'foreingthe carrieraway from the permutzu.

tion gears. I V

The, manipulation of the permutation gears serves to move them individually and successively, beginning with the bottom gear 12, from a predetermined fixed position into a pos tion corresponding to that in which the .assoclatecl loek ng gears 5 have their slots 8 registering with the slot in pin (5. T his operation takes place after a preliminary setting or adjusting operation hereinaifter explained, and it is efiected primarily by means of the top gear 10 which is provided with a knob lfih (Fig. suitably fixed to its hub and projecting through an open ing in the front of the case, the movement of said gear being transmitted to the intermediate gear 11 and thence to the bottom gear 12. The transmission movement from the operating or manually-turned top gear ll) to the intermediate gear 11 may be effected by extending one of the teeth of gear 10 rearwardly to form a projection or lug '15 (Fig. 2) for engagement between two teeth 16 and 17 of unequal lengths which are provided at one end of a bar 18 (Figs. 3 and 9) slidably mounted on the upper or obverse iace of gear 11 and held against lateral di placement in some suitable manner. The other end of the sliding bar is provided with a depending projection or tooth 19 (Figs. 3. 4: and 9) which extends through an opening in gear L1 large enough to enable the pla necessary for the sliding movements of the bar; and the under or reverse side oi said gear is provided, in turn, with a depending tooth 21 (Figs. 4 and 7) adapted for engagement with the projecting upper end of a stop pin 22 (Figs. 5 and 6) carried by the bottom gear 12. This pin 22 is fixed to the tree end of a leaf spring 28 (Fig. 6) which is attached at its other end to the under or reverse face of gear 12; said pin extending loosely through an opening or hole in the gear, which latter is further provided on its upper or obverse face with an inclined or wedge-shaped lug 20 (Fig. 5) for coaction with the projecting end of tooth 19. The pin 22 extends on both sides of its carrier spring 28. its lower portion coacting with a fixed cheek plate 40 (Fig. 8) arranged on the bottom of the case and having a circular cut-out portion or opening disposed concentric with stud 13; the said case bottom being additionally provided with a recess or depression 30 wherein pin 22 is adapted to seat when brought into alineinent therewith. The permutation gears 10, 11 and 12 have individual pawls 28, 24 and 25 (Fig. l) associated with them which are subjected to the action. oi'springs 26 and which produce a ated pawl 2 L, prevents the continued rota- 2 tion of said gear in one direction and, conlong tooth 16 on the slide 18 carried by gear 11, which latter is then rotated in unison with gear 10; andatter the two gears have moved together through a certain angle, the tooth 21 on the'under side of gear 11 picks up the pin. 22 carried by gear 12, thus connecting all three gears together for unitary movement. This movement of the gears continues until the intermediate pawl 24 engagesin the gap formed by the mutilated tooth 27, the position of the three gears 10, 11 and 12 at such time being the zero position abovereferred to.

Thereafter the permutation mechanism is manipulated to bring the permutation gears into positions corresponding to the'jcombina tion selected and which, in turn,'br1ng the gears 5 of the locking mechanism into position to releasethe locking lever 3. In"carrying out this new manipulation, the knob 141is first turned from right to left-21 6., vcounter-cloclnvise-during which time its tooth 15 engages the short tooth'17 on slide 18 and in thatuvay" drives the intermediate gear 11', the pawl 2 1 oliering no obstruction'to this reverse rotation of said. gear.

The tooth 17 is rounded, as shown in Fig. 9, and the pressureexerted againstit by tooth 15 has a tendency to force the slide away from it, which would obviously dis engage-the two' coacting teeth and uncouple the two gears Were it not for the fact that in the zeroposition of the gears the projecting "end of the, tooth or lug 19at the opposite end of the slide is in engagement with the stop lug 20 on gear 12 which holds U it against such movement,

on gear.11 is engaged with the projecting upper end of pin 22 at that time and hence The tooth 21 all three gears move in unison, turning the corresponding locking gears 5 with them. The pawls 23, 24 andir25, as previously stated, produce sharp clicks during their passage overthe teeth of the permutation gears, and these audible clicks are counted in accordance with the combination selected, each click indicating a movement of the gears through one tooth space. When the number of clicks equals the first figure of the combination, the bottom gear 12 is dropped and is held in set position by means of its pawl 25. During the movement of gear 12, the lower end of the pin and as such movement continues it leaves said cheek and ultimately seats itself in the recess 30, thus withdrawing its upper end from the path of tooth 21. The knob is then turned in the opposite direction for the second number of the combination, the tooth 15 on gear 10this time bearing against tooth 16 on slide 18 and thus effecting the driving movement of gear 11, and the lug 19 on said slide moving away from tooth 20. The rotation of the two gears continues until the number of clicks equals the second figure of the combination, whereupon the direction of rotation of the knob is again reversed. When the reverse movement of the knob and, hence,

of its connected gear 10 commences, tooth 15 on said gear is caused to bear against the short rounded tooth 17 but since lug 19-is no longer engaged with tooth 20, there will be nothing to prevent the displacement of the slide which, in consequence, will be forced endwise away from tooth 15 by the pressure exerted by said tooth upon tooth 17, uncoupling the two to register its slot 8 with the slot in stud 6 r aseach permutation gear assumes the proper selected position, so that when the setting of thelast ortop gear 10 is completed the shackle will be unlocked and can be released from lever 3.

'The manipulation of the main gears 10, 11 and 12 incidental to the opening of the lock obviously displaces them from the fixed or zero position into which they were previously brought during the initial or preliminary setting operation; and they must, therefore, be restored to that position before again being adjusted in conformity with the combinations, 1 Hence there are really two setting operations tofbe carried out on the gears each-time that the lock is opened, the first operation setting the gears preliminary to the second operation. In

effecting the first operation, the knob 14 is.

always turned in the same direction (clockwise) and during this operation the tooth 19 on the slide 18 is caused to engage with tooth 20, such engagement serving to force the slide endwise in a direction to cause its teeth 16 and 17 to straddle the tooth 15 on the driving gear 10. According to the second. or main setting operation, the knob 1 1 and gear 10 are first turned counterclockwise to set the bottom gear 12, then clockwise to set the intermediate gear 11 and then counter-clockwise again to set the top gear, the engagement between the teeth 19 and. 20 continuing throughout the first 7 coupling and uncoupling having teeth for engagementby said counter-clockwise movement, as has already been explained, to prevent disengagement of tooth 15 from tooth 17.

I claim as my invention v 1. In a permutation lock, the combination, with a shackle and a locking element engageable therewith; of a permutation mech anism for controlling the engagement and disengagement ofthe locking element, comprising a series of superposedwheels, an operating'knob connected to one permutation wheel, a projection on said wheel, a slide carried by another permutation wheel and projection toreleasably couple the first and second wheels together, means for controlling the movements of the slide to regulate the of saidifirst and second wheels, and means for releasably conplingthe second wheel to a third permutation wheel.

2. In a permutation lock, the combination, with a shackle and a locking element engageable therewith; of a permutation mechanism for controlling the engagement and disengagement of the locking element, com prising a series of superposed wheels, an operating knob connectedto one permutation wheel, a projeetion on said wheel, a slide-carried by another permutation wheel and having'two teeth of unequal lengths at one end betweenwhich said projection is adapted for engagement-to'releasably couple the'first' and second wheels together, a lug on a third permutation wheel engageable with the other end of the slide to control its movements. and thereby regulate the coupling and uncoupling of said first and see ond wheels, and means-for releasably cou- .pling the, second'and third wheels together.

3. In a permutation'lock, the combination, with a "shackle and a locking element engageable therewith of a permutation mechanism for controlling the engagement and disengagement of the locking element, eom

prising a series of superposed wheels, an op- .eratingknob connected to one permutation wheel, a projection on said wheel, a slide carried by another permutation wheel and having teeth for engagement by said projection to releasably couple .the first and 7 second wheels together, means for controlling the movements of the slide to regulate the uncoupling of said first and second wheels,

and a resilient element on a third permutation wheel engageable with a projection on the second wheel to releasably couple the two together.

In a permutation lock, the combination, with a shackle and a locking element eugageable therewith; of a permutation mechanism for controlling the engagement and disengagement of the locking element, comprising a series of superposed wheels, an operating knob connected to one permutation wheel, a projection on said wheel, a slide carried by another permutation wheel and having two teeth of unequal lengths at one end between which said projection is adapted for engagement to releasably couple the first and second wheels together, a lug on a third permutation wheel engageable with the other end oi the slide to control its movements and thereby regulate the coupling and uncoupling of said first and second wheels, and a resilient element on the third permutation wheel engageable with a projection on the second wheel to releasably couple the two together.

5. In a permutation lock, the combination, with a shackle and a'locking element engageable therewith; of a permutation mechanism for controlling the engagement and disengagement of the locking element, comprising three superposed wheels, one provided with an operating knob and with a. projection, the second having an opening formed through it and a lug on its under face, and the third having an opening formed through it and a lug on its upper face, a slide mounted on the upper face of the second wheel and having teeth at one end for engagement by the projection on the firstwheel and a projection at its other end extending through the opening in the second wheel for engagement with the lug on the third wheel, and a spring plate fixed to the under face of the third wheel and having an upstanding pin which extends through the opening in said third wheel for engagement by the lug on the second wheel.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of witnesses.

EUGENE MAURICE OCTAVE DESCALLES.

'lVitnesses CHAS. P. PRnssLY,

' CHAnLns CoUoHor, MAURICE Gnitenors. 

